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Answer
In Philippians 4:8, the apostle Paul instructs believers on how to conquer anxiety and worry, and find joy and contentment in the Christian life. His advice starts with recognizing the significant influence of our thought life. By protecting our hearts with positive thinking—focusing on things that are good, helpful, and pleasing to God—our attitudes and perspectives will change, leading to transformed actions and behavior «Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life. », (Proverbs 4:23).
Paul provides a list of admirable, God-pleasing qualities to occupy our minds, including the directive to “think on whatever is lovely.” What does it mean to consider whatever is lovely? The original Greek term for “lovely” is unique to the New Testament, denoting things that are pleasing, attractive, and bring joy when used to describe them.
One Bible commentary clarifies that the term for “lovely” in the original language “is an uncommon word that refers to things that attract, please, and earn others’ admiration and affection. Such thoughts promote unity and peace rather than discord and conflict” (Anders, M., Galatians—Colossians, Vol. 8, Broadman & Holman, 1999, p. 262). Another commentator elaborates, “The fundamental meaning of the word is ‘that which evokes love, love-inspiring,’ and here it carries the passive sense of ‘lovely, pleasing, agreeable, amiable’” (O’Brien, P. T., The Epistle to the Philippians, Eerdmans, 1991, p. 505).
When we focus on “whatever is lovely,” we are contemplating things that encourage us and others to show love. Fortunately, the Bible offers numerous passages to help us reflect on this particularly commendable quality. Perhaps the most notable is the Bible’s “Love Chapter,” 1 Corinthians 13.Here the apostle Paul commends the “more excellent way” of love. All other spiritual gifts pale in comparison to the greatest, which is love. Believers gain nothing—indeed, are nothing—without love.
Filling our minds and hearts with God’s love brings us together in unity and peace because His “love is patient and kind… not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8;NLT).
Jesus Christ is our greatest inspiration for thinking on whatever is lovely: “We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person? Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions” (1 John 3:16-18;NLT).
Jesus also said, “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:34-35;NLT).
Meditating on ideas that inspire unity, peace, and love for other people aligns with the Lord’s teaching about the greatest commandments in the law: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greaTest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40).
Paul further illustrated how loving others fulfills every requirement of God’s law: “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery,’ ‘You shall not murder,’ ‘You shall not steal,’ ‘You shall not covet,’ and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:8-10).
Stewing on trivial, spiteful, bitter, or damaging notions about other people will only hinder the process of letting “God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think” «And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. », (Romans 12:2, NLT). Then again, if we constantly fill our minds with love-inspiring, peace-motivating thoughts, if we set our hearts to think only on whatever is lovely about another person, to value what is attractive and pleasing about them, we will become peacemakers. We will be well on our way to practical holiness, putting on our new nature, getting to know God and His Son, Jesus Christ, and becoming more like Him in thought and deed «and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: », (Colossians 3:10).
